Sister Fort has been called to serve in the Philippines Cauayan Mission, reporting to the Provo MTC August 4, 2010. Her mother, Barbara Fort, updates this blog according to Sister Fort's e-mails and letters.

Monday, February 21, 2011

HEY! I'm in the PHILIPPINES!!!!! RICE TERRACES? :)

Hello mommaaaa! FAMILY and FRIENDS!! I am so happy for the opportunity once again to write to my favorite momma in the whole universe! Tell Pop I love him, huh? I thought about him the other day, and I just want him to know that. I really really love him.

We went to Banaue today. It was kind of a last minute decision. Thesisters in the other district were all going together, so we decidedto go with them. We are going again as a district next week also, the28th. We rode a jeepney the whole way there and back which can besomewhat rough on our bodies through the swirly twirly mountain roads.Right now I'm kind of in a dizzy spell, but I'll be fine. The viewswere incredible. It's moments I have in beautiful places like thesewhere I take a deep breath and think, "Wow, Heavenly Father reallyknew I would love this. He is so kind to have chosen this beautifulplace for me." At the rice terraces you can "hike" up and down them ifyou so wish. There are stairs--steep, steep stairs--but no rails. So Iwent until the railings ended, which wasn't far. And said if anyoneelse wanted to go any further, I would try scooting down on my butt?The sisters ended up deciding to stay right where we were, and the twoelders we were with plunged forward (they regretted it later whentheir legs were sore from going up and down 50938708937 steps.). Wetook many pictures on the steps that I think you might see soon. (Idont have a camera connection to attach my pictures here in solano. Ialways used Sister De Fiestas...) GUESS WHAT! SISTER DE FIESTA WASTHERE!!! With the AP's. I squeezed her so tight, and I dont think shecould breathe for like 10 seconds straight. I love love love her somuchhhhhhhhhhhhh. We took some great pictures.

The members have been wonderful to us. They've fed us and welcomed mein as their own already. They invited me to bear my testimony onSunday, and after I did they were all surprised that I have only beenhere 4 whole months.

Our toilet here was clogged for three days straight. It was absolutelyrevolting. We tried plunging it, we tried pouring boiling hot waterdown it, we tried pouring laundry detergent down it (a member told usto try?), and nothing worked. Finally we texted the elders about theproblem--our district leader and his companion--and they were like"we're passing by there..." and we were like "are you serious. youwould do that for us?" and sure enough, they came and plunged ourstinky toilet for us. It took them prob 20 minutes to finally get it.And we laughed so hard at their reactions. I couldn't believe they didthat for us :) and soooo grateful!

I am realizing, the more and more we are teaching the investigatorshere, that no one has been taught the restoration TO THEIRUNDERSTANDING. I asked a man the other day who Joseph Smith was, andhe said, "a prophet." So I asked him what a prophet was, and he had noidea. All of the things on their teaching records that people havemarked off as taught, haven't been taught. They've been shoved downthroats and people don't know whether to swallow or spit or choke. So,after using a finger puppet and a crappy drawing that I made in myplanning last week, I saw a light turn on in this man. Those lessonsare pure beauty.

It's amazing the things I've learned in the mission--and even at thewriting center before--that you have to find where people'sunderstanding is before you can ever introduce something new to them,like the restoration. Questions are so important. Questions to seewhere people are and what they understand from what you've taught--tosee what you need to teach, how you need to teach it, and if you maybehave to teach it again.

A kind, kind woman feeds us every Friday at lunch time and works withus for half the day (her husband is Willy Wonka man). She asked melast Friday what my favorite here was, so I told her Tilapia, kamoteand malunggay, and guess what. She made that for us this week. I wasso touched.

After we ate, we went to an appointment and I felt something deepwithin--a somewhat painful stirring inside. I told Sister Banks Ineeded to go back to the apartment for a little bit to see what wasgoing on.. you know. So we went back to the apartment and saw theelders on the way home. They offered to give me a blessing, which saidI would be fine to work. So I thought, “okay, I’ll just lay here untilthe pain subsides and we’ll go out in a second.” I prayed and prayedfor it to finally be overwith, but I kept getting thisimpression…”just rest, Sister. Just rest…” So I closed my eyes andfell asleep for a little bit. When I woke up, I felt achy all over,and I took my temperature. I didn’t have a fever, but my temperaturewas elevated by two degrees, and I knew something was weird. Plus thepain in my stomach hadn’t gone away. The more I rested, the worse andworse I got and I kept thinking about my setting apart—how my bodywould be resistant to all diseases. Sister Analyn, our fellowshippersat outside of our house for the four hours I laid there, to make sureI would be okay and that I didn’t need anything. She went out anbought me a gatorade, and by the time she came back I was so out ofit, I couldn't even say thank you. I could only rush to the bathroomto vomit three times. I went straight to bed after that, my body beingso weak. And the next day, we went to our baptismal interview forSister Agnes (her baptism is feb 26th) and to our PEC meeting, andbecause my body was still aching all over. I kept hearing, "just rest,just rest." We rested the whole day on Saturday. Sunday morning, Ifelt one hundred percent better! And I think Tilapia and malunggay andkamote might notttttt be my fave anymore.

Today at Banaue, I saw a couple who looked American. It took me awhile to remember how to ask "Where are you from?" and what finallycame out was, "Where y'all from?" They said "Fraaaahnce" And I said,"OO, sobrang ganda doon!" Woops. HA!

Don't worry about my birthday. I might want to buy some little lightsweater things? So maybe like 30 dollars in my account will do it? Ittakes a little while longer for me to get mail here. You can always sendme nuts. Walnuts mmmmmmmm. I put them in my oatmeal in the mornings.Also lipton soup is always welcomed. And even other soup things likethat. Sauces you can put with just veggies. A cute watch? Socks?Whatever. Nothing is urgent. I can live.

I've attached some pictures for your enjoyment.I love you sososo much momma. I miss you incredibly so muchgreatly!!!!IU!OEHFuhfkduuerighiPray for me, ha? b/c...